Racket-press.



W. A. JOHNSON.

RACKET PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 28. 1912.

1,156,363., Patented 00t.12,1915.

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WITNESSES:

cumzunm s-LANnmmvu CO..\VASHINGTON, [1c

, WILLIAIvTAb aonlvson, or YONKERS, NEW YORK.

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messes.

ZbcZZwhomtmayconcernf I I Be it known that I, TVILLIA A. JOHN- soN, a citizen of theiUnited States, and a resident of Yonkers, county of estchester, and State of New York, haveinvented certai-n new and useful Improvements 1 Racket-Presses, of which the following is a ,lawn tennis rackets 'orthe like when not in specification, reference being had to the accompanying draw-1ngs, forming av part thereof.

This invention relates to an improvement 1 in presses or frames for holding in shape use, and its object is to provide a simple and eflicient device for this purpose which has decided advantages over those heretofore used, and which is animprovement on the press disclosed in my Patent No. 978,455 dated December 13, 1191.0. 1 v i corresponding parts in allof the figures. I

As illustrated in the drawings, the. press comprises two double-bowed truss members each composed of a pair of flat bows 10, 11

and 12, 13 respectively, which are provided centrally with circular enlargements or disks 14, 15, 16 and 17,respectively, said bows preferably tapering slightly from the center toward each end. The bows 11 and 13 are pivotally connected at "their centers,

preferably by a rivet, 18. The bows 10 and and tighten thecenter screw 20. After having once adjusted the press no further ad- 12 are pivotally. connected at their centers by a clamping or looking screw 20 which is j threaded into. the disk 14 and loosely fits a hole 21 providedin the disk 16. The screw 20 is providedwith an operating handle 22, and also passes through a washer 24. lying between the disk 16 and the under side of the handle. I I

By reference to Fig. 2'it will be seen that the bow 10 crosses under thebow 12 atthe center and the bow 13 crossesunder theb'ow Specification of-Letters Patent.

a pl cation filed m 28, isle. Serial sarcasm.

I will describe my invention in the'folr-atemenoet. 1.2, 11915.

' lIatthe center. Thus the bows 10, 11 constitute an innerdouble-bowed member and the bows '12, 13 constitute-an outer doublebowed member, but the upper sides ofthe bows 11. and 13 at the points a, that is, the lines or surfaces of contact between said bows and the frame 26 of the racket are in the same plane. The opposing ends of each pairof bows 10, 11, and ,12, 13 are adjust ably and pyieldingly connected together; the

bowsll and'l3 havinga post 30 ailined at eachjend to their upper surfaces, preferably 'by'being riveted thereto, and a screw 31 passes through each endof each of the bows lOnand 12, and is threaded into the correspondingpost 30. ,A coiled spring32 surrounds each post 30 and screw 31 and abuts against the inner faces of the opposing ends of the bows.- Thebowsll, 13, in the present instance constitute what may be termed the fixed clamping member, whereas the bows 10, 12 constitute what may be termed the adjustable clamping member, since the ends ofbows '10, 12 are adjusted independently by the screws 31 to engage the racket frame, while the ends of bows 11, 13 are in a common, relatively fixed plane.

In use the device in the condition in which i it is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 is placed over the racket frame 26, then the bows are spread apart into the full line positions with the springs 32 close against'the exterior of the frame 26. Nextthe center or locking screw 20 is tightened to hold the bows in. I

position against the frame- Then the four screws 31 are tightened until there is no playbetween the bows and the frame. When thepressis not in useit may be folded up as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1 so that it occupies but little space. To usethe press, after proper adjustment has oncebeen .made, it is only necessary to slip it onto the frame, open it squarely against the frame 'ustmentis re uired unless the )ress be used 1 7 upon another racket. I

of the frame or press apart so that they openwhen the. screws 31 arebacked out of the posts 30 and also exert sufficient upward pressure upon the heads of the screws to lock them in desired positions.

What I claim is:

1. A racket press comprising a pair of double members each having a pair of bows,

and adjustable means at'their respective ends for setting the bows at a fixed maximum distance apart, said double members being centrallypivoted together and adapted to be swung ontheir pivots into and out of clamping position on a racket frame, indeners of said press beinglocated in a common I Copies of this patent'may be obtained for plane, posts afixed to said four corners and means carried by said posts adapted to maintain opposite members of the press in alinement and to adjustably fix the other four corners of the press at predetermined distances from the first v named four corners whereby the press is adapted for I use on rackets of varying thicknesses.

3. A racket press comprising an inner double bowed member and an outer double bowed member each composed of a pair of superposed flat bows, two of said bows being vpivotally connected at their centers and having posts afiiXed at their ends, screws carried by the ends of the other two of said bows and threaded into said posts adapted to maintain opposite members of the press in alinement, springs surrounding said posts and screws for holding the opposite members of the. press'at a fixed distance apart and means for locking said pairs of bows against relative movement about said pivotalconnectiens, whereby the press may be adjusted to accommodate the thickness of the racket and the double bowed members thereof swung intoand out of clamping position on a racket frame.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto setmy hand this 23rd day of May in the year 1912.

WVILLIAM A. J OHNSON. Witnesses:

MARGARET A.' GRAHAM, G. S. ANDERSON.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

